‘Arrow’ Recap: Season 2, Episode 14, ‘Time of Death’

It has been a few weeks since we last checked in on the action-packed soap-opera that is “Arrow.” When we last left everyone Sara Lance (aka: Black Canary) had been released from her commitment to Ra’s Al Ghul’s League of Assassins and was back in the arms of Oliver/Arrow. Laurel Lance was descending into a pit of despair and alcohol/drug abuse, only made worse by her sister’s return. There have also been evolving storylines regarding Roy’s new powers; Mama Moira’s run for mayor against Sebastian Blood; and Blood’s alter ego Brother Blood working for Oliver’s frenemy, the Mirakuru-fueled Slade.

Tonight’s episode will introduce us to William Tockman, better known to comic book fans as The Clock King. He is being played by Robert Knepper, a recognizable actor who is probably best known for his work on Prison Break. He’s a guy who has made a career out of playing bad guys. This episode is also going to be Felicity-centric, with most of the story revolving around Arrow’s very attractive, cyber-genius sidekick.

With all that behind us, let’s get to the recap…

The episode starts with someone (The Clock King) instructing two men via an earpiece to steal something. The Clock King is able to orchestrate everything with perfect timing.

Cut to the Arrow hideout where Sara is training with Digg and Oliver. They take a break and begin comparing scars – knife wounds, bullet holes, and even grenade shrapnel from past battles. Felicity chimes in about her scars… inside her mouth from some impacted wisdom teeth. “Three stitches” she says in all seriousness. I love Felicity!

The henchmen deliver the item they stole to Tockman. He scolds them for not following his plan all the time. One of the henchmen gets a bit aggressive and The Clock King kills him using a piece from a clock as his weapon.

Oliver is throwing a big party for Sara’s return from the dead. Sin is so excited to see her old friend that she forgets that no one is supposed to know that they are friends. They cover it up by some story about Sin liking to hear about people who “come back from the dead, like Zombies.” Sin is funny and clever. They need to do more with that character. Laurel, by the way, refuses to come to the party. Meanwhile, Oliver and Mama Moira are being very cold to each other. Oliver won’t forgive her for not telling him that Merlyn is Thea’s real father. Thea sees them not getting along.

Det. Lance, along with Canary and Arrow are investigating the murder of the henchman. It is revealed that the item the Clock King had stolen was a code breaking device called the skeleton key. It could be adapted to open bank vaults.

At the Arrow hideout, Felicity is working out, probably trying to impress Oliver. Sara helps her out a bit with some fighting techniques. Oliver interrupts. He wants Felicity to focus on stopping the Clock King, who is probably at least her equal at cyber stuff.

Det. Lance goes to visit Laurel. He appeals for her to come back to the family because he thinks it may help him reconcile with his ex-wife. She agrees to have a family gathering at her house… and Sara can come.

The Clock King and his men are robbing a bank. Arrow and Canary show up to foil it but Tockman hacks into Felicity’s communications channel with Arrow and tells them that he has hacked into the transit system and has arranged for a bus to hit a train unless Arrow leaves the bank to stop it. Arrow saves the bus while Canary goes after Tockman and his men. She manages to hit Tockman in the head but he and his henchmen get away with the bank money.

Sara has some of Tockman’s blood. She and Felicity figure out that Tockman has a terminal disease and get his identity. They also figure out he is stealing money to try to save his sister, who needs a lung transplant.

Canary and Arrow go to investigate Tockman’s home, but it is a cyber-trap that allows Tockman to hack into their network again. Felicity is powerless to stop him as he somehow causes a feedback that fries all the computers in the Arrow lair. He used the skeleton key to do it.

Oliver decides to try to trap Tockman by liquidating some stock as bait. He and Sara go to the Lance family party while Felicity and Digg try to fix the computer equipment. Felicity confides to Digg that she feels really inadequate next to Sara. He tells her she is being silly.

At the Lance party, Oliver being there is very awkward. At some point the conversation turns to Ms. Lance perhaps moving back to Starling City. She says she has a life in Central City and even admits she has found a new man in her life. This prompts Sara and Oliver to accidentally give away that they are back together again, which sends Laurel into a fit of anger. Yeah, inviting Oliver to the party was a REALLY BAD IDEA!

Laurel storms out of the apartment and Oliver chases her. He lectures her for blaming everyone but herself for her problems. “Are you done,” she says snidely. “Yeah, I’m done caring,” he replies. He tells her to go get drunk. He says, “I am done running after you.”

Felicity does something really stupid and tries to help catch Tockman by hiding out in the bank she knows he is going to try to rob. Arrow, Canary, and Digg go to the bank to help her out. Tockman’s men are robbing the bank but Arrow stops them. Meanwhile, Tockman has set up the bank’s gas system to blow, but Digg is able to disable it. Felicity figures out a way to track where Tockman is and she and Canary go after him. Felicity saves Canary when Tockman tries to shoot them, getting shot in the process. Tockman is about to shoot them anyway when Felicity uses a program to cause Tockman’s cell phone to electrocute him. Felicity in the field is a WIN! And she even got her own bullet scar!

At the nightclub, Sara is the new bartender. Laurel comes in to talk to her. She wants to make up with her sister. Laurel is finally coming to grips with her own problems. “Please don’t hate me,” Laurel says and the two sisters embrace.

As for the island flashbacks this episode — Sara, Slade, and Oliver are planning to board Ivo’s ship. They are distracted as a plane flies overhead. The plane gets shot out of the sky. As our heroes look through the wreckage of the plane, they find the pilot is still alive, barely. Oliver and Slade go off to get medical supplies while Sara stays with the dying man. He confides in Sara that his daughter will be an orphan if he dies. He hands her a picture of the girl and makes Sara promise that she will look out for the girl. The man dies but Oliver finds a life raft in the plane wreckage that they can use to get to the freighter.

Back in the present, we find out that the girl in the picture, the one Sara promised to protect, is really Sin. Ugh! This is the least surprising reveal ever! What’s more, the fact that it took Sara 6 years to actually get back to Starling City to protect Sin makes this storyline a little lame. I mean, do we have to have a reason for Canary and Sin to be friends?

Oliver goes to the Queen family mansion looking for Thea, but Moira is there. She is in a meeting and brings Oliver in to see who the meeting is with. It is Slade! Oliver is shocked to see him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Slade says.

And the episode is over!

There was a lot not to like in this episode. Much of what went on was of little importance. Felicity coming into her own was ok, I guess. I kinda wanted Laurel to go even deeper into her abyss before coming out of it. I mean, her reaction to Oliver’s confrontation should have been one of defiance. He just revealed that he is again hanging with her sister. About the only interesting thing that happened was Slade suddenly revealing himself to Oliver. Frankly, I don’t know why he did it at this point and in this way. He should have saved the surprise for a little while longer. At least it looks like the Slade vs Oliver storyline is about to advance… fast!

So, what did you think? Post your thoughts in the comment section and I will see you there!

If you want to read more of Jason Evans’ commentary on the Movie and TV industry, follow him on Twitter @TVFilmTalk and be sure to check our Speakeasy every Monday and Wednesday for his recaps of The Blacklist and Arrow.

It has been a few weeks since we last checked in on the action-packed soap-opera that is “Arrow.” When we last left everyone Sara Lance (aka: Black Canary) had been released from her commitment to Ra’s Al Ghul’s League of Assassins and was back in the arms of Oliver/Arrow. Laurel Lance was descending into a pit of despair and alcohol/drug abuse, only made worse by her sister’s return. There have also been evolving storylines regarding Roy’s new powers; Mama Moira’s run for mayor against Sebastian Blood; and Blood’s alter ego Brother Blood working for Oliver’s frenemy, the Mirakuru-fueled Slade.

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